📍Labor Market Test in Croatia – Who’s Affected and What Changes in 2025?
Since April 2025, Croatia has introduced a mandatory labor market test as part of the procedure for obtaining work permits for foreign nationals. This measure has sparked widespread reactions among employers, agencies, and investors from Serbia and the region. The key question is: who must undergo the test, and how does it work?
🧾 What Is the Labor Market Test?
The labor market test is a procedure where the employer must prove that no suitable domestic candidates are available for a position they want to fill with a foreign worker.
The process is handled by the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) based on a job posting and criteria submitted by the employer. If no qualified local applicants respond within about 15 days, the employer may proceed with the work permit application for a foreign national.
🔄 What Are the New Rules?
✅ 1. Realistic Job Requirements Are Mandatory
Employers are no longer allowed to include unrealistic criteria in job postings (e.g., rare foreign languages, overly specific qualifications, excessive experience) unless clearly justified. The aim is to avoid excluding domestic candidates by design.
✅ 2. Offered Salary Must Match Market Standards
Companies cannot offer below-market wages simply because the worker is foreign. The salary must be equal to what a Croatian employee would receive for the same role.
✅ 3. Ratio of Domestic to Foreign Workers
New limits have been introduced:
1 local : 12 foreign workers – for shortage occupations (e.g., construction, tourism)
1 local : 6 foreign workers – for non-shortage occupations
❗ These limits do not apply if the foreign worker was already employed by the same company in the previous year.
✅ 4. Stricter Conditions for Employers
To be eligible to hire foreign nationals, a company must:
Have employed at least one domestic worker during the previous year
Generate a minimum monthly revenue of:
€10,000 for legal entities
€15,000 for sole traders
Operate legally and without labor violations
❌ Who Is Exempt from the Test?
The labor market test does not apply if:
The job is on the official shortage occupation list (e.g., chefs, masons, waiters)
The foreign worker was employed by the same company in the previous year
The worker is applying through the EU Blue Card program
⚠️ What Are the Implications?
- ✔ Employers must write realistic, compliant job postings and prepare documentation in advance
- ✔ Foreign workers may wait longer for permits, but gain stronger protections and wage equality
- ✔ Labor inspections now have more authority and can penalize or shut down companies that break the rules
📌 Conclusion – Prepare for Compliance
The labor market test has become a central gateway for hiring foreign workers in Croatia.
For agencies and businesses from Serbia and neighboring countries, now is the time to understand the process and seek legal advice to avoid permit rejections, fines, and delays.
📲 Need Legal Support or Help with Croatian Work Permits?
Let STATT help you navigate the new regulations safely.
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